Currently, the fiber industry typically measures physical properties of wool fibers in bulk form. By "bulk form" it is meant that many wool fibers, such as in a toe, are measured at the same time and the properties of the toe are ascribed to the individual fibers. It may be more accurate, at times, to measure the properties of individual wool fibers, rather than to take bulk measurements. However, wool fibers tend to be very difficult to a individualize. One reason for this is that wool fibers are comparatively longer than many other fibers. Thus, wool fibers are difficult to handle and are easily broken when individualized. These and other difficulties have caused the wool industry to predominantly use bulk measurements, rather than individual measurements.
It would therefore be desirable to have an apparatus for individualizing long fibers contained within a feed stream of wool, which will not break the wool fibers during individualizing.